Side loading tumbling mill



1942- N. RANSOHOFF I 2,299,031

SIDE LOADING TUMBLING MILL 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug.

INVENTOR.

Oct. 13, 1942. N. RANSOHOFF 2,299,031

' SIDELOADINGTUMBLING MILL 4 Filed Aug. 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

WMV/ W ATFORNEYS Patented Oct. 13, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIDE LOADING TUMBLING MILL Nathan Ransohoff, Cincinnati, Ohio Application August 3, 1940, Serial No. 350,894

7 Claims.

This invention relates to tumbling machines of the type adapted to be used for cleaning metal parts. The machines in general are comprised of a rotatable drum or cylinder; the parts which are to be cleaned, for instance castings carrying sand, grease, or dirt, are put into the cylinder with abrasive metal fragments sometimes called stars and the two masses, the parts and the stars, are agitated together within the drum so as to enable the stars to contact the metal parts and thereby abrasively remove the dirt from them.

The machines of the present invention comprise a tumbling chamber in which the major cleaning operation is performed. A screen barrel or foraminous drum into which the parts are discharged after they have been cleaned is associated with the tumbling barrel, extending longitudinally and preferably substantially coaxially from it. The openings in the screening drum are i of sufficient size to permit the stars or abrasive particles to drop through and thereby become separated from the metal parts; the metal parts themselves after having been cleaned are discharged from the end of the screening drum. The abrasive particle which drop through the screen are caught by another drum which surrounds the screen, then returned to the tumbler for further use on the next batch of dirty parts.

This brief description illustrates the general sequence of events in the use of the machines of the present invention.

One of the primary objects of the present invention has been to provide a tumbling mill having an endwise discharge opening which is of greater capacity, that is, capable of cleaning a greater volume of parts, than mills of a similar siz which heretofore have been available. In other words, one object has been to increase the capacity of a tumbling machine without increasing the over all size of it.

Another object of the invention has been to provid a tumbling mill which is capable of effecting the discharge of the commingled parts and particles from the tumbling chamber to the J screening chamber automatically. More specifically, the objectiv has been to provide a tumbling mill having a charging door located in the peripheral wall of the tumbling barrel, as distinguished from an end wall, and to provide for the discharge of th parts from the tumbling barrel, at an end thereof, through another door which normally is closed but which when opened facilitates egress of the parts and particles into the screening chamber.

A further object of the invention has been to provide means operable from the exterior of the drum for controlling th opening closure of the discharge door.

Another object of the invention has been to provide a tumbling mill which is capable of effecting the return of abrasive particles to the tumbling chamber automatically after these particles have been separated from th cleaned parts.

In the preferred embodiment, th tumbling drum and a screening drum are substantially coaxial with one another and reside in end to end relationship. A diaphragm is installed between the tumbling chamber and the screening chamber and a hinged door is provided in an opening of the diaphragm so as to providefor egress of the parts from the tumbling chamber to the screening chamber. The door normall is closed during the tumbling operation thereby permitting the tumbling drum to be loaded to a substantially greater level with parts and particles than ever has heretofore been possible. By this arrangement the capacity of the machine is increased Without commensurat increase in the size of it. The door opening preferably is offset with respect to the axis of the tumbling chamber and it is accessible from the interior periphery of the tumbling drum whereby parts freely can move through the opening into the screening chamber as the drum is rotated. Sinc the door opening may be of substantial area, parts of large size can be cleaned in the tumbling chamber then readily discharged. At the sill the door is hinged so as to swing outwardly into the screening chamber and thereby provide a ramp over which the particles and parts may pass when it is open. The door opening is of a somewhat conicalform so that the Walls or itrslope downwardly toward the door to feed the mass in the tumbling chamber thereto during drum rotation thus when the door is open the parts and particles move through it readily. Means are provided at theoutside of the tumbling barrel to control the door opening and closing.

For the purpose of effecting the automatic return to the tumbling chamber of the star or abrasive particles separated from the parts in the screening chamber, a collector drum is employed in the present improvement to surround the screening drum and therefore catch the stars or particles escaping from it. This collector is in communication with the tumbling drum through chute passageways in the tumbling drum and the membrane extending laterally across it; through these the stars or particles are directed back into the tumbling barrel during the rotation of the mill.

The chamber and passageway arrangements herein described are embodied in a unitary rotatable structure whereby the tumbling of the parts and also the return of the stars to the tumbling chamber are efiected when the apparatus is rotated in one direction and the discharge of the parts from the tumbling chamber to the screening chamber and therethrough is effected when the apparatus is rotated in the opposite direction.

Other objects, as well as advantages relating to the general fabrication of the construction of the mill will be apparent from the description of the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the improvement is illustrated.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tumbling mill, constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, illustrating the means for discharging the contents of a tumbling drum and returning the abrading elements thereto from the collecting drum.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation looking at the operating handle for the door.

Figure 6 is an end view looking at the operating handle for the door.

In Figures 2, 3, and 4, the door is shown in open or discharge position.

The mill illustrated in the drawings is supported upon a base I, and a drive mechanism, indicated generally at 2, is mounted on the base at one end thereof. The drive mechanism is constructed in the conventional manner and the details of it are therefore not disclosed herein; in general, it is comprised of a drive motor 3, mounted on appropriate structural members. The motor 3 drives a pulley 5 of a jack shaft 6 through a belt 4. The jack shaft 6 is journaled on the standard, and at the end opposite the pulley 5, carries a pinion gear I, which meshes the main gear 8. The latter gear is in driving connection with the tumbling apparatus. The end of the tumbling mill adjacent the gear 8, is journaled as at 3a.

The tumbling mill is comprised of a tumbling barrel indicated generally at 9, a screen separator, indicated generally at H], and a collector drum indicated generally at H. The collector drum surrounds the screening cylinder, and the barrel, separator, and drum all are substantially coaxial with one another and are interconnected to rotate as a unit. At the end of the machine opposite the drive mechanism, and the collector drum carries a track ring l2. The base of the machine supports trunnion wheels I3 which are positioned to engage the periphery of the track ring I2 and thereby support this end of the machine.

The tumbling barrel is comprised of a peripheral wall M which is closed at the end adjacent the drive mechanism as shown in Figure 1. An endwise diaphragm l5 extends across the tumbling barrel at its other end and also extends therebeyond for connection with the wall It of the collector drum. The tumbling barrel and the collector drum are preferably conically shaped and both are of largest diameter adjacent the divider diaphragm l5 through which they are interconnected.

Tumbling barrel 9 is a side-loading unit and contains in its periphery wall M the charging door which is indicated generally at 26. This door is provided with locks 2| for holding it in closed position during rotation of the barrel. The charging door apparatus may be constructed in any suitable manner, for instance, according to the United States Patent No. 2,101,196 of December '7, 1937.

A ring or collar 22 extends from the diaphragm l5 into the collector drum, and an annular plate 23 is fastened to the open end of the ring 22 to carry another ring 24 which is of slightly smaller diameter. The screen member 25 is carried on the ring 24 within the collecting chamber. A Wall 26 at the discharge end of the machine interconnects the wall I6 of the collector drum with the wall 25 of the separator screen and terminates in a discharge portion 21 outwardly beyond the wall 26.

The reinforcement elements 28 extend around the collector drum at the portion of it adjacent the head diaphragm l5 and buttress plates 29, also are provided at spaced intervals radially about the tumbling chamber to reinforce the attachment of the collector drum, the diaphragm I5 and. the tumbling barrel with one another.

All of the parts preferably are constructed of metal of an appropriate thickness and the structure is best fabricated by welding.

' Discharge for the tumbling barrel The diaphragm [5 contains two apertures 30 and 3!. The latter is a passageway for the return of abrading elements to the tumbling chamber from the collector chamber, and the units cooperatin with it are described in a subsequent point in the specification.

Doorway 39 constitutes an aperture through which parts and particles may pass from the tumbling chamber to the screen separator after the parts have been cleaned by the abrading elements. Doorway 30 is of substantial size so that parts of relatively great mass may pass through it, and it is offset from the axis of the tumbling barrel, the top of the door opening as shown in Fig. 2, residing adjacent the periphery of the wall [4 of the tumbling barrel, and the bottom terminating in a still at which the door is hinged.

Door 32 is provided to extend within the opening 39 for the closure of the tumbling chamber and this door has the additional function of serving as a ramp facilitating egress of parts from the tumbling chamber to the screening separator when it is open.

The door is fastened at its hinged end to a hinge shaft 33; this shaft extends across the sill, and the door is attached to it by welding so that the two are integral With one another. Shaft 33 is journaled at opposite sides of the door 32 by the journals 34 (Figure 4) These are comprised of pillow blocks 35, fastened to the diaphragm [5, to which the bearing members 36 are welded. The parts are arranged relative to one another in order that the door 32 be in flush relationship with the diaphragm [5 when it is closed. The upper end of the door is chamfered as at 31 and the opening is similarly configurated so that a relatively tight seal between the door and opening is provided. The chamfered jamb at the upper end of the door opening in the diaphragm I5 prevents the door from swinging into the tumbling chamber.

A plate 33 extends from the sill of the door angularly outwardly, and the outer end of it is connected to the annular rim 23 of the collar 24. This plate preferably extends chordally across the collar so as to be supported at its ends thereby.

The width of the collar 22 and the slope of the plate are so proportioned that the door 32 extends beyond the ccllar and into the screening chamber on a slant; in this manner parts caught upon the door are discharged into the screening chamber during drum rotation.

Shaft 33 extends outwardly through the wall M of the tumbling barrel and, at its outer end, it carries an operating lever mechanism, indicated generally at 39. At the point at which the shaft passes through the wall l4, it is journaled in a bearing 40 which is secured to the wall, and a collar 4| is carried by the shaft intermediate journal and the adjacent end of the bearing member 36. At the outer end of the shaft, arms 42-42 are fastened to it, at opposite sides, the bolt 43 passing through the shaft and the arms to hold the members in assembly. A lever 44' is mounted intermediate the arms 42 at their outer ends and these parts all are securely fastened together.

Spaced inwardly from the arms 42, the shaft 33 carries a pair of clevis arms 45 which are mounted to the shaft in face-to-face relationship so as to receive therebetween the clevis plate 45, extending from the face of the diaphragm l5. Clevis plate 46 is bored to receive a lock pin 41 extending through the clevis arms 44, and, outwardly, through the aperture between the two arms 42. The lock pin terminates beyond a strap 48, which extends across the two arms 42. Spring 49 surrounds the lock pin, one end of the spring being in abutment with a face of a clevis arm 45, and the other end engaging the interior face of the strap 48. This expansible spring pulls the lock pin so that the head of it engages the strap member.

Another clevis plate, 50, is provided to extend from the diaphragm on the side of the shaft opposite the clevis plate 46 and this plate also contains a bore which the lock pin 41 is positioned to engage when the lever is moved to the other position. Clevis plate 46 constitutes the lock for holding the door in open position, and clevis 59, the lock for holding the door in closed position. (For purpose of clearance, a recess indicated generally at 5| is provided in the end membrane |5 so that the lever and assembled parts are free to move in either direction without binding against the plate.)

During the tumbling operation, the door 3| is locked in closed position. After the tumbling operation, when the parts are to be discharged, the head of the lock pin 41 is grasped and drawn outwardly so as to remove the pin from engagement in the bore of the lock plate 50. The lever 44 is then operated to swing the door outwardly into the separating chamber and, with the lock pin still withdrawn, the shaft is rotated until the pin is positioned for engagement in the bore of the clevis plate 45. Thus, upon release of the pin, the door is locked in open position.

Return abrading elements to tumbling chamber At the interior periphery of the screen separator spiral vane 52 is provided to advance the parts and particles therethrough which have been discharged from the tumbling chamber. The spiral vane extends along the length of the separator screen and is adapted to discharge the clean parts from the end thereof so that they can be collected in a barrel or container.

As the parts advance along the screen, the abrading elements drop through the screen and are caught in the collecting drum, delineated by the wall 58. This wall slopes toward the dia phragm l5, and therefore. the abrading elements gravitate toward the head end of the tumbling barrel.

Collar 22 contains an aperture 53 which is located beneath the plate member 38', and a plate 54 extends, from a point adjacent the edge of the opening 53 in the ring 22, to the internal periphery of the collector drum to constitute a baffle or a lift. The side plate 54 extends in a direction substantially longitudinally of the drum, and a side plate 55 extends from the plate 54 laterally of the drum, intermediate with the collector 22 and the drum periphery. These two members in conjunction with the drum periphery constitute a return scoop.

As the abrading elements gravitate toward the scoop, they are caught therein and lifted by the plate 54 from whence they drop through the opening 53 across the interior surface of the supporting member 38 and are thereby deflected through the opening 3| into the tumbling chamber. Grill members 56 extend across the opening 3| to prevent the parts in the tumbling chamber from passing out through this opening during tumbling operation.

It is preferable that the mill apparatus be driven in one direction for discharging the parts from the tumbling chamber to the screening separator, and in a reverse direction for return of the abrading elements from the collector drum to the tumbling barrel. To facilitate this result, a plate member 51 is disposed to reside adjacent to an edge of the door 32, when it is in the open position, so as to constitute a chute which facilitates the discharge of the parts from the tumcling chamber. This chute plate 51 preferably is fastened to the end Wall I5 and the bottom edge of it is fastened to the cross plate 38. This plate 51, therefore, prevents the particles from passing into the collar during discharging drum rotation. Plate 51 preferably is positioned relatively opposite to the plate 54; that is, with respect to the directions of rotation of the drum, in order that discharge from the tumbling barrel takes place when it is rotated in the one direction and the return of the abrading elements takes place when the drum is rotated in the other direction.

One of the features of considerable advantage in the use of the present apparatus is the substantial capacity of the tumbling barrel with respect to its size. When the door 32 is closed, the barrel may be filled with parts until the level is well above the axis of rotation, and in fact, until the level is spaced just slightly from the top part of the container to provide room for agitation of the parts. This loading operation can be performed easily and quickly by virtue of the large size of the side loading door. Consequently, a batch of dirty parts to be cleaned may be of greater size than has heretofore been possible with equip-ment of the same general size.

Operation To load the mill the side door 20 is opened and the discharge door 38 is closed, with the pin 41 being locked in the clevis plate 50. Parts and abrading particles are charged into the tumbling barrel until it is filled to the desired level. Then the machine is rotated in either direction. After the parts have been cleaned by the abrading elements, the machine is stopped at such a point that the lever 44 is in accessible position, the lock pin is withdrawn, and the lever is now operated to open the door 3| after which the door is locked in open position by engagement of the lock pin 41 with the clevis plate 45. The mill is now again rotated preferably in the direction of the discharge arrows as shown in Fig. 3. During this phase of rotation, the parts and particles gravitate toward the head diaphragm l5 and out through the opening 30. This operation is continued until all of the parts have been discharged from the separator screen, and the abrading elements have passed into the collector drum.

The direction of rotation of the mill is then reversed for the return of the abrading elements to the tumbling barrel for treatment of the next successive batch of parts discharged therein.

By virtue of the fact that the ends of the tumbling chamber are fiat, a smooth, even tumbling action is obtained with little wear upon the parts of the machine. Moreover, large, heavy parts can be disposed in the machine, and since the machine can be loaded to a substantial level, these parts can be cleaned readily without danger of damaging them since the height of fall of the parts during tumbling is minimized.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A tumbling mill comprising tumbling drum means and screening drum means which are substantially coaxial with one another and unitarily rotatable, a diaphragm laterally dividing the screening drum means from the tumbling drum means, the said diaphragm having a door opening therein offset from the axis of said drum means, with the sill of the door opening being spaced inwardly from the periphery of said screening drum means, a rotatable shaft extending alongside said sill, a door connected to said diaphragm, and means extending through the periphery of said unitarily rotatable drum means for swinging the door into the screening chamber, the said door being arranged when open to provide a ramp for facilitating the egress of material from the tumbling chamber to the screening chamber.

2. A tumbling mill comprising tumbling drum means and screening drum means which are substantially coaxial with one another and unitarily rotatable, a diaphragm laterally dividing the screening drum means from the tumbling drum means, the said diaphragm having a door opening therein offset from the axes of said drum means, a shaft extending along the sill of said door opening and through a peripheral wall of one of said drums, a door in said opening and connected. to said shaft, means for locking the door in closed position, and means connected to the portion of said shaft extending beyond said peripheral wall for rotating said shaft to swing the door into the screening chamber, the said door being arranged when opened to provide a ramp for the egress of material from the tumbling chamber to the screening chamber.

3. A tumbling mill comprising tumbling drum means and screening drum means which are substantially coaxial with one another and unitarily rotatable, a diaphragm laterally dividing the screening drum means from the tumbling drum means, the said diaphragm having a door opening therein offset from the axes of said drum means, a rotatable shaft extending along the sill of said door opening and having an end extending exteriorly through a peripheral wall of one of said drum means, a door carried by said shaft in said door opening and handle means located at the outside of the said peripheral wall and connected to said shaft for opening the door into the screening chamber thereby providing a ramp for the egress of material from the tumbling chamber to the screening chamber upon rotation of said drum means.

4. A tumbling mill comprising tumbling drum means and screening drum means which are substantially coaxial with one another and unitarily rotatable, the wall of said tumbling drum means sloping toward said screening drum means, a diaphragm laterally dividing the screening drum means from the tumbling drum means, the said diaphragm having a door opening therein offset from the axes of said drum means, a hinged door in said opening, means extending along said diaphragm and through the periphery of one of said drum means, for swinging the door into the screening chamber to provide a ramp for the egress of material from the tumbling chamber to the screening chamber, and collector drum means surrounding the said screening member.

5. A tumbling mill comprising tumbling drum means and screening drum means which are substantially coaxial with one another and unitarily rotatable, a diaphragm laterally dividing the screening drum means from the tumbling barrel means, the said diaphragm having a door opening offset from the axes of said drum means and accessible from the wall of said tumbling drum means, with the sill of the door opening being spaced inwardly from the periphery of said screening drum means, a door hinged to said membrane at said sill, means including a shaft extending along said diaphragm and through the peripheral wall of one of said drum means for swinging the door into the screening chamber, and a plate member positioned adjacent an edge of said door to define therewith a chute for facilitating egress of material from the tumbling drum means to the screening drum means during rotation of said drums.

6. A tumbling mill comprising a tumbling barrel having a discharge opening in one end thereof, a screening separator extending substantially coaxially from said tumbling barrel beyond said opening in the end thereof, a collector drum surrounding said screening separator, with the tumbling barrel, the screening separator and the collector drum being interconnected and unitarily rotatable, a plate member extending from the 'said discharge opening on a slant into th screening separator, a passageway, including said plate, extending from said collector drum into said tumbing barrel, and a door hinged in said opening in said tumbling barrel at a point adjacent said plate and adapted to be swung into said screening separator to rest upon said plate.

7. A tumbling mill comprising a tumbling barrel having a discharge opening in one end thereof, a screening separator extending substantially coaxially from said tumbling barrel beyond said opening in the end thereof, a collector drum surrounding said screening separator, with the tumbling barrel, the screening separator and the collector drum being interconnected and unitarily rotatable, a plate member extending from the said discharge opening on a slant into the screening separator, a passageway including said plate extending from said collector drum into said tumbling barrel, a door hinged in said opening in said tumbling barrel at a point adjacent said plate and adapted to be swung into said screening separator to rest upon said plate, a shaft extending through the wall of said tumbling barrel for operating said door and carrying an operating lever, and means associated with said shaft for locking said door in open and closed positions.

NATHAN RANSOHOFF. 

